WINDSOR, ONT. -- Enbridge Gas is helping Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services to bring fire and carbon monoxide related-deaths down to zero with a $225,000 investment into a project aimed at putting alarms inside more homes.

Chatham-Kent fire received 378 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through “Project Zero” a public education campaign that will offer 7,500 alarms to residents across 35 Ontario municipalities.

“The objective of Project Zero is to deliver combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to Ontario communities who need them the most,” Jon Pegg, Ontario Fire Marshal, said in a news release. “It’s a program that fire departments can adopt to help educate their communities about the requirement for all Ontario homes to have a CO alarm if they have a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage.”

Enbridge Gas invested $225,000 into Project Zero this year. Over the past 12 years, the program has provided more than 50,000 alarms to fire departments in the province.

When properly installed and maintained, combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms can offer the early warning to safely evacuate from a house fire or carbon monoxide exposure, a news release from Chatham-Kent fire says.

Carbon monoxide is a toxic, odourless gas that is the by-product of “incomplete combustion of many types of common fuels.”

“Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘silent killer’ for a reason, and we have proof that prevention saves lives,” Steven Jelich, director of Southwest region operations with Enbridge Gas said. “We know that the best way to avoid carbon monoxide exposure is to eliminate it at the source by properly maintaining fuel-burning equipment, and that the alarms are a critical second line of defense to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.”

Chatham-Kent fire chief Chris Case said the contribution will help the department continue its community safety work.

“Every member of our team is committed to reducing deaths and injuries in the home with our greatest emphasis on the protection of our most vulnerable members of the community,” Case said. “We are delighted to receive this donation which will allow us to continue our ground-breaking Community Fire Safety efforts which have protected so many families to date.”